Plan to develop industrial belt in North Bengal, says Mamata

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hands over a bicycle to a school girl in Siliguri on Monday. PTI

In an effort to develop north Bengal into an ‘industrial belt’, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced plans on Monday at a public meeting in Siliguri in Darjeeling district to run air services between Cooch Behar district and Kolkata, via Durgapur in Burdwan district. The service is likely to begin by November.

She started her three-day tour of north Bengal on Monday.

Ms. Banerjee, who recently visited Singapore to invite investments in her State, said the non-functional airport at Cooch Behar was being revamped with the help of the Singapore Changi Airport and an agreement had been signed in Singapore.

“The four-day-a-week service will be given nearly 50 per cent subsidy initially in order to make it viable,” Ms. Banerjee said and added that Rs. 602 crore had been sanctioned for the project in Bengal, which is part of the ambitious Asian Highway project connecting different countries in this region.

She issued 1000 permits for no-refusal taxis in Siliguri and the launch of a new pension office there. The branch pension directorate will start functioning at Uttar Kanya, the north Bengal branch of the State secretariat, from Tuesday and will clear pension papers for retired primary and secondary teachers in north Bengal.

“Earlier, people of north Bengal had to go to Kolkata to collect pension. Now, a pension directorate has been set up here,” she said.

Mamata Banerjee on industry drive in north Bengal

SILIGURI: Battling criticism over slack industrialization in the state, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that she wanted to develop North Bengal as an industrial belt.

The chief minister began her three-day North Bengal tour by addressing a rally in Siliguri before leaving for Kalimpong on Monday. From overhauling transport sector to taking up projects worth Rs 600 crore to develop an express highway, the chief minister focused to boost trade in the region.

Announcing air services between Cooch Behar and Kolkata via Durgapur, where a new airport is coming up in collaboration with Changi Airport of Singapore, Mamata said: “We have signed an agreement in Singapore on starting a new air service between Cooch Behar and Kolkata via Durgapur. Mamata, who recently went to Singapore for inviting investment to the state, said the non-operational airport in Cooch Behar was being revamped and the service was likely to be started by November.

“The four-day-a-week service will be given 50 per cent subsidy initially in order to make it viable,” Banerjee said. She said an agreement in this regard had been signed with the Bengal Aerotropolis Private Limited.

The chief minister also said a sum of Rs 602 crore has been sanctioned for the Bengal-part of the ambitious Asian Highway project, connecting various countries in the region. Mamata also declared eight proposed internal road projects under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area. “This project, when completed, will boost industrialization and trade in North Bengal,” she said. Mamata also inaugurated 23 new buses.

In a first for North Bengal, the CM issued permits to 1,000 non-refusal taxis in the region. “We will issue permits for 27 buses for Darjeeling. We are trying our best to overhaul transport sector in North Bengal,” Mamata said. tnn

FLASH NEWS

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Tuesday evening announced the withdrawal of its indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills, and that the situation would return to normalcy from 6 a.m. on Wednesday. The announcement came hours after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to them to call off the over […]

The Gorkha’s have completely dominated Chandigarh Half Marathon, with ranking all the top three slots. What is more amazing is that three are Servicemen from 3/11 Gorkha Rifles. Rfn Aichandra Chemjong Rfn Vishal Rai and Rfn Binosh Limbu CONGRATULATION! 1,011 total views, 1,011 views today Comments comments

The newly-appointed Board of Administrators (BoA) of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has started functioning today. Nine Board members, headed by Binay Tamang have been nominated by state of government, however, Mann Ghisingh and Amar Singh Rai abstained from today’s opening ceremony held in Darjeeling today. 5,435 total views, 4,516 views today […]

In view of normalcy returning to Darjeeling hills, the state administration tonight decided to lift the restrictions on use of internet services in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which was imposed on June 18. 5,441 total views, 4,515 views today Comments comments

DT Archives

Sponsored

Writes: Kunal Ghatiney Nisha Bhujel who hails from Melli, South Sikkim, says that “Perks of happiness is earned when you start celebrating compassion with the ones around you who needs your help,” She has been...

Feb 04, 2015Comments Off on Gazette Notification on issue of Citizenship issue of Gorkhas

Gazette Notification on issue of Citizenship issue of Gorkhas (Published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary Part – I Section 1 dated the 23rd August 1988 ) No. 26011/6/88-ICI Government of India Ministry of...